In the field of production of ceramic tiles and the like decoration lines are normally used which apply enamels to the surface of the ceramic substrate, adapted to create both a certain aesthetic and decorative effect and a functional result of protection and coverage of the substrate itself.
The enamels can be applied on the ceramic substrate with different technologies, e.g. using digital or analog devices. Analog devices are those of the traditional type which employ devices whose application functionality and the respective adjustment, for the purposes of the enameling process, is essentially mechanical: for example, bells or spray guns for full coating or screen printing or flexo roll decorating devices. Digital devices are those that apply enamel on the ceramic substrate by means of heads delivering a jet actuated by piezoelectrically-controlled nozzles or other type of nozzles, which actuation and adjustment are digitally driven for the purposes of the decoration process.
With particular but not exclusive reference to digital decorating devices, it is noted that nowadays the graphics resolution obtainable in the product application can also be very high: in fact, the current technologies allow simulating, with truly amazing results, natural materials such as wood, marble, granite or the like.
Therefore, the issue of the control and verification of the result obtained by the decorating devices, both in terms of quality of the product surface appearance and in terms of physical and mechanical characteristics of the layer or layers of enamel applied, is of primary importance.